


Problem-solving in the Bathroom

by Loveatfirstbook



Category: Nothing Much to Do
Genre: Friendship, Lovely Little Ficlets challenge, M/M, locked in a bathroom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-07
Updated: 2015-01-07
Packaged: 2018-03-06 12:48:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3135059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loveatfirstbook/pseuds/Loveatfirstbook
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John had a problem with something or someone and wouldn't talk to Pedro about it. Ben suggested locking the two of them in a bathroom and letting them out when they sorted it out. Pedro accepted the help and this is what happened next.</p>
<p>Day 6 of the Lovely Little Ficlets Challenge</p>
            </blockquote>





	Problem-solving in the Bathroom

On the surface, they might look okay again. On the surface, John and Pedro might be talking again and their family might be more whole than it had been in a while. But it wasn’t fixed. And Pedro thought that it was time to do something about that.

John had been back home for almost a month. While he’d been more open towards Pedro and his friends, their parents hadn’t received the same treatment. Something was going to give sooner or later and Pedro thought that John’s attitude would be the best place to start. John was adept at avoiding the topic, though, so new measures had to be taken.

After much discussion from his friends and persuasion from Ben, Pedro agreed to what Ben called a “tried and tested method to get people to discuss their feelings”. So the next time Pedro visited Hero’s place to catch up with the gang, John was invited along with him.

“Come on, bro. We’ll play board games and eat cookies,” Pedro coaxed. “It’ll be fun.”

“Only if you don’t use slang in Scrabble,” John replied.

As planned, the two of them ran into some of the others as they made their way into the house. The key to Ben’s idea was to hedge John in so he would have nowhere to run when Ben gave the order. Pedro began a countdown in his head as they approached the door that would make or break the plan.

However, Pedro didn’t expect to be jostled into the bathroom quite so roughly. And not to be slipped a key.

“What are you doing?” John cried as he thumped the door after trying the handle. Laughter that probably should have been muted could be heard from where Pedro was heaving himself up from the mat. “This isn’t funny so let us out.”

“Make me,” came Meg’s smug voice with a smattering of chuckling high-fives. From the sound that was strikingly similar to a herd of elephants, Pedro assumed that the gang had left to watch a movie downstairs and await his call to let them out.

Glancing around, Pedro observed Hero’s cookies, a cake and some pizza slices covering three plates on the bathroom bench. “At least they left us something to eat.”

John stared at the wall blankly. “What did you want to talk about?”

“Huh?”

Rolling his eyes, John’s scathing reply was instantaneous. “You’ve been giving me strange looks for the past week. We might not be the best of friends but I know that you want to say something.”

Maybe coercing John into a situation where he’d talk to Pedro about their parents hadn’t been the best plan after all. Pedro tried to backtrack as he sat against the bath. “I don’t know what you’re talking about but, if you have something to say, I’m here to listen.”

Sliding to the floor against the door with a sigh, John continued. “You’ve talked to your friends about whatever’s bothering you about me. Benedick probably told you that every problem can be solved by having a conversation in a bath, or something like that notion, and you planned this.” He paused to regain eye contact with his half-brother. “So what is it?”

Stunned was the main word to describe Pedro’s reaction to this onslaught of observations and assumptions. So stunned that it took him a minute to process it, long enough for John to form his own conclusions, conclusions backed up by his reply. “Not all of it was Ben’s idea. Apparently Hero thought it would be nice to feed us too.”

As before, John avoided Pedro’s gaze as he awaited the speech to come. He wasn’t disappointed. “I thought that after everything that happened this last year everything would be normal. Better than normal, even, because you’ve seemed happier than you used to. But it isn’t.”

“And that’s my fault how?”

The pair drowned in silence until Pedro couldn’t take it anymore. “You still hate Mum. I know I can’t control your feelings and I’m not trying to but she doesn’t deserve it.”

“I don’t hate Ann.” The whisper stilled Pedro’s twitching hand but his mind wanted more information. “She’s kind of how I imagine Hero will be in the future. Kind to a fault and one of the strongest people around.”

Confusion racked Pedro’s brain as he tried to come up with an alternative explanation. “Then why do you act like you do?”

“I thought I’d forgiven Dad for hurting Ann a long time ago. After all, he only cheated on her once, right?” A dark chuckle escaped the younger boy’s lips. “I went to visit him at his office a few weeks ago and I peaked through the door to check he was there before I surprised him with the cake I’d bought. There was some naked woman walking around the room as if she owned the place as he sat at his desk and stared at her.” He stopped briefly. “My mother wasn’t the only time our father’s been unfaithful to Ann.”

“What?” Pedro breathed. 

“I was avoiding him, not Ann. She’s just always near him so it may have come across that way.”

What are you supposed to say after a bombshell like that? Thankyou for explaining everything and I’m glad you don’t hate my mother? “Oh.”

“I’ll try to make more of an effort with Ann,” John added. “She’s always gone above and beyond with me. Dad’s always at work at the moment so maybe keeping my distance won’t be so hard.”

“Did you tell her?”

“Wouldn’t it make things worse if I did?” John whispered with a sad smile donned. “I don’t want to be in charge of the force that drives the wedge between their marriage. My existence did enough damage in the first place.”

Trying to lighten the mood, Pedro let out a sentimental fact his mother had told him in years gone by. Funny how something that had once annoyed him no end was comforting now. “You mightn’t be Mum’s biological child but she loves you just as much as she loves me. She’d tell you herself if you’d let her.”

"I'll talk to her when we get home. It'll be interesting to make up after a fight I never knew we were having."

The pair smiled at each other. “Can we get out of here now, Pedro?”

“Sure, bro,” Pedro replied before an idea hit him, “but make sure to grab some of those cookies before the girls scoff them all.”

The road mightn’t be perfect to travel along but, if they worked hard enough at it, they'd get there together in the end.

**Author's Note:**

> And yes, I took the prompt to be two words so I hope that isn't cheating. I still haven't caught up to the day corresponding to my timezone but I aim to soon.  
> Not sure about the metaphor at the end but oh well.  
> I hope you've enjoyed it and have a great day!


End file.
